06.06 The liver

The liver is an accessory digestive organ with many important metabolic and regulatory roles e.g. it stores glucose in the form of glycogen. Its important digestive function is the production of bile which containsa mixture of cholesterol salts and bilirubin, a breakdown product from old red blood cells. Bile is stored in the gall bladder and released into the duodenum to help with digestion of lipids. (Figure 6.3).

Figure 6.3 The gastrointestinal tract showing the liver and gall bladder (Copyright, QUT)